Drummer Boy for the Bonnie Blue: Marching through Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania with Robert E. Lee's Army

Introduction by John W. Schildt

Young readers are introduced to the American Civil War through the eyes of Thad, a thoughtful, sensitive pre-teen, who enjoys a peaceful, uncomplicated rural village life with his parents; Lizzie, his multi-talented tomboy sister; and Bugler, the family dog. Together with his boyhood friend, Obed, an uneducated but exceptionally wise son of free-blacks, he seeks the simple pleasures of fishing, playing, talking, and wandering the wooded paths of nearby mountains.

As war invades his border state, Thad is enchanted by a casual visit to a Confederate army encampment in nearby Frederick, Maryland. There he meets two young drummer boys from a Georgia regiment, and is immediately fascinated by their happy-go-lucky soldier life. He soon runs away and becomes a drummer boy in the Confederate army. As with many youngsters, the initial experiences are all fun and learning. However, soon enough, Thad is exposed to the realities of war: sickness, diseases, discomfort, woods, gut-wrenching sorrow and terror. He eventually has to take up a musket and fight to live. There is no glory after all, even in the music. Will Thad finally reunite with his friend, and find purpose in life in the enduring love for his family and home?

This title contains material for teachers and the classroom.